The Stack Effect: How Moving Air Causes Upstairs Problems

The allergies and stuffiness you are feeling this year can’t be blamed on outdoor air alone. Your indoor air is laden with allergens, dust, microbes and various other allergy-inducing and asthma-inducing particles. They flow freely through your home as they are transported through the HVAC system. Those freeloaders make their way through to your upper levels through a process known as the stack effect.

Air enters your home through lower levels like your basement or crawl space. These areas are seldom dry because moisture-laden air is responsible for the humidity and water damage that may be invisible to you until you start to notice signs of water damage downstairs.

We often forget about the air downstairs because well, it’s more comfortable to be on your recliner your living room. The truth is that ALL air matters. If you had to pick sides, the air below your home is more important because it rises and infiltrates the rest of your home. To fix the problem, you need to address the air below your home. That’s where we come in.

You may not be able to create a full vacuum in your space, but sealing wall cracks and windows and even installing a dehumidifier in your basement or crawl space goes a long way to slow down the impact of the stack effect. More importantly, our encapsulated waterproofing system called WaterGuard is anti-microbial and acts as a water barrier. Most importantly, it ensures that any circulating air in your home is clean and healthy. Call us now for a free inspection.